PORTLAND - A TriMet bus driver found a furry friend riding his bus line Monday.

The bus was running its usual route when it came to the end of the line on Northeast Sandy Boulevard. The last passenger stepped off of the bus when the driver reminded her not to forget her dog. But the dog didn't belong to the woman and how he got on the bus remains unknown.

The friendly brown-eyed pooch had no dog tags or microchip identification and no one knows who the dog belongs to.

He was taken by a Portland police officer to the Oregon Humane Society. The staff has nicknamed the mixed-breed dog Buster. They speculate that the dog may have escaped from his home and attached himself to a group of people waiting at a bus stop. When everyone boarded, Buster did too.

Buster is a short-haired young mixed-breed pit bull mix, predominately light-brown in color with white markings on his chest and nose. He is friendly to strangers and likes chew toys.

He is now in the custody of Multnomah County Animal Services. Please contact MCAS at (503) 988-7387 if you have information about Buster. Do not contact OHS. Although OHS finds homes for thousands of homeless dogs each year, stray dogs brought to OHS are transferred to MCAS or the appropriate animal control agency, as required by law.

1/2/2007

Bus-Riding Dog Finds Home

PORTLAND - The dog who hopped aboard a TriMet bus last week has found a place to call home.

Buster was apparently lost and boarded the bus with a group of people waiting at a stop in Portland. When the bus reached the end of its route on Northeast Sandy Boulevard, the driver reminded the last passenger not to forget her dog. The passenger said it wasn't hers, leaving Buster without anyone to claim him.

Buster has been in the care of MCAS, where he was neutered and given a clean bill of health.

MCAS wishes to thank the public for their outpouring of interest and support in the welfare of this dog and reminds us that Buster is one of many dogs and cats at the shelter in need of a good home.

Buster was all over our local news. Apparently, he caused quite a stir at the shelter. He had people standing in line to meet and try to adopt him. The news said he was a pit bull Maybe Portlanders are smarter about the breed than I thought.